Qiji Incursion
The Qiji Incursion was an invasion of the lands northern Vhir of Darazil and what was the Empire of Subotai by the underground thri-kreen known as the Qiji. The conflict was initially fought by the sirithi but later the dragonfolk, especially those of the then quite new Okarthel, took on the majority of the fighting. It is often told in the ancient writings held by many of the Great Houses and in the religious myth of the sirithi of G'yass regarding the founding of their city. Cast from Shadow The first part of the story, seldom told by the dragonfolk, as it is mainly from the sirithi point of view, is the escape of the sirithi from a realm of shadow through a pool of black water. They fled the enslavement of a group they call the Shadovar, terrible and powerful users of magic and umbramancy to keep other people under their sway. The Kingdom of the Blind The sirithi, led by the legendary Varharsh Viktus Seethe, were said to escape into Tolas through the efforts of their great magi who attempted to close the portal they took behind them, but as the ritual was being completed one of the Shadovar burst through and overwhelmed the mages. Meanwhile, the Qiji, who dwelt in the caves surrounding the pool, had begun to worship it, the Shadovar who resided on the other side of the portal having manipulated them from afar, but so far had little interest in venturing into their realm. They emerged from across their underground domain, pouring out of tunnels and holes to swarm the intruders to their most holy of holies. Seete is said to have dueled the High Priest of the Qiji in single combat, learning in that moment how to escape the tunnels and leading his people to safety as he struck down the zealot. New Faces As the sirithi made their way onto the surface they wandered the deserts, many resorting to raiding the dragonfolk and other peoples they encountered, only those travelling with Seethe managing to stay in one large group instead of breaking into factions and bandit bands. Seethe is said to have made contact with some of the Zelfolk, with the Faceless coming to the aid of these strangers, showing them the path through the punishing salt flats of southern Vhir to reach the coast. In thanks the sirithi named the road that connects them to the Zel lands road to water, with the word water also meaning friends in the language of the Zelfolk. Gifts in Amethyst As the sirithi began to build homes and fish the coast, they uncovered the Brilliant Hollows, the source of wondrous gems that the sirithi begin to mine to use in magical rituals. There they also encounter a purple dragon names Sillilos, who warns them to stay away from the Dragon Lands, and to fear the dragonborn that dwell there, an aspect of the story seen differently by many, with the sirithi seeing it as a warning of future conflict wheres the dragonborn of Okarthel see it as a warning to respect them. Whatever the true motives of warning, they were lost with the death of Stillios generations later. Scorched Earth The part of the story recounted by the dragonborn, begins with first contact between the dragonborn and the Qiji. Enemy of my Enemy Warbands of dragonborn, common following the Dragon War, were beginning to unit into what is now Okarthel, but during the time of the Qiji Incursion, many still roamed Darazil searching for wealth and power. It were these warbands that encountered the sirithi most frequently, often fighting over supplies of food, water and weapons. The Qiji however considered the sirithi a test by their gods, and to allow them to outside their realm was heresy, and when their warriors encountered the dragonborn with a sirithi whom they allowed to kill, the warbands at the time considering the Qiji to be hunters from wherever the sirithi were from and once they were all killed they would leave. Contempt of Grace The Qiji had been single in their focus when it came to slaughtering any sirithi they found, but as word reached their religious leaders of the dragonfolk the idea that all surface dwellers were to be killed on sight and never spoken to lest they corrupt the faith of the Qiji, any that had spoken to them were killed for the good of everyone. The Qiji began to attack the dragonborn, especially those that held sirithi prisoners. This was the turning of the conflict as now the young Okarthel was challenged by the invaders. Threefold Pact The first group of dragonborn to strike against the Qiji were three warbands, each led by a dragon, who delved deeply into the Qiji territories and attempted to terrorise them into turning submission. These dragons and their followers were never heard from again, though one of their number is believed to have been corrupted by the Shadovar who was trapped in the Qiji domain, unable to return to their realm. Into the Pits After around five years, the city of Okarthel was leading the fight against the Qiji, the sirithi had totally left the conflict by traveling to the south. Synod of Strife A council of veterans from both side of the Dragon War formed to address the issue, though each dragon except for one voted for themselves, with the purple dragon Stilos choosing Bethendale the Pure, a silver dragon making them the first warchief of Okarthel. Attunement of War In a simultaneous strike across Darazil, the armies of Okarthel assaulted the major entrances to the Qiji underground tunnel network, each of the other council members leading a force towards the smaller entrance ways, whilst Bethendale attacked the largest entrance. With mixed success, the armies of Okarthel pushed the Qiji back into their tunnels allowing the main force to assault the centre of the network, attacking the pool where the Shadovar itself resided. The Clash Below Bethendale fought both the Shadovar and a corrupted Shadow Dragon, realising they could not defeat both, Bethendale collapsed the cave itself on top of them. As they fought in the crumpling cavern, the Shadovar made a desperate attempt to escape through the pool back into the realm from whence it came. Tumbling into the pool with the Shadow Dragon, Bethendale interrupted the escape attempted, casting all three into the pool before it could wholly connect to another plan, sending all of them into a void between the worlds. Once the Qiji lost their leader, their high priests having been killed in the collapsing of the cavern, they retreated into previously unknown parts of their tunnels, blocking passages and preventing the armies of Okarthel advancing. Deciding that their enemy had surrendered the surviving generals began to loot and burn the caverns as best they could, eventually giving up and returning to Okarthel as heroes once there was no further chance for glory.Category:Events Category:Vhir Category:Dragons Category:Dragonborn Category:Qiji Category:Okarthel